Seasonal beverages hold an attraction because of their association with events on the calendar we look forward to each year. We would no more order a frosty Mint Julep and cheer on thoroughbred race horses in December than we would celebrate the Kentucky Derby with mistletoe and a mug of brandy-spiked eggnog. It's less about playing by the rules; more about nostalgia and time honored associations that, while not written into stone, are pleasantly anticipated.

It is for that precise tradition-driven reason that cocktails like the Tom and Jerry are popular close to Christmas. Dating to the 1820s, the drink is the kind of feel-good sipper that harmonizes well with Nordic-themed sweaters, Ugg boots and mittens. But unlike Eggnog, another popular beverage this time of year that doesn't necessarily include alcohol, the Tom and Jerry is always spiked and served warm. You can find a great version at the Kress Cinema & Lounge in Greeley.

The name doesn't come from the Looney Tune cartoon characters, but instead from two characters in English journalist Pierce Egan's monthly serial journal, Life in London, which ran from 1820 to 1829. Devoted to the escapades of Jerry Hawthorn, Esq., and his elegant friend, Corinthian Tom, the popular stories described rambles in Regency London by Tom, Jerry and a third friend from Oxford, Bob Logic. Their fictionalized adventures were both sophisticated and squalid in the booming metropolis. The beverage was launched in England to publicize the journal and the six plays that took Egan's stories to the stage. The cocktail crossed the pond to America when this cultural craze appeared in theaters here. Although it is a Christmastime drink, the stories that gave it birth are not of the feel-good Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol genre. Rather, it is a boisterous study of the interactions of London's inhabitants at the time, from the King at the top down to the working classes. Dickens eventually used this genre to explore the interplay between different English classes in his fiction, and collaborated with one of Egan's illustrators, the satirical artist George Cruikshank.

Along with tradition, it seems that another reason mugs of the frothy, egg-based drink dosed with either rum or brandy are only available in December is because it's not an easy concoction to prepare. Just ask Justin Ghofrani at the Kress Cinema & Lounge. With a purchase this year of a heavy duty KitchenAid stand mixer to help the process, he's enjoying making it a lot more than he did last year when he had to mix everything by hand: first beating the egg yolks and sugar, then whipping egg whites into stiff, white peaks. All are then folded together to create the creamy batter. That's a heavy arm workout, since he makes a batch every other day on the weekends.

From there, cloves, allspice and cinnamon are folded into the egg and sugar meringue. Ghofrani adds 4 ounces hot water and a hearty shot of either rum or brandy to a glass mug. The frothy top is sprinkled with hand-grated nutmeg to finish. The rum version has a fruitier flavor from the cane; the brandy addition is dry and bracing. Order whichever suits your taste better.

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Either way, this seasonal favorite will warm the cockles of your heart, put a grin on your face and have you humming Christmas carols in no time. The Kress is showing two holiday movies to pair with your Tom and Jerry. A Christmas Story (1983) plays on December 11 at 4pm and 7pm. Showtimes for It's A Wonderful Life (1946) on December 18 are at 1pm and 7pm. Tickets are available in advance online or at The Kress. Award-winning author Emily Kemme writes about human nature, illuminating the everyday in a way that highlights its brilliance. Follow her on her blog, Feeding the Famished, https://www.facebook.com/EmilyKemme, or on Twitter @EmFeedsYou . Life inspired. Vodka tempered.